THE FDA TOBACCO BILL
At the time of this post, the Senate is getting ready to vote on the Waxman Tobacco Bill, officially known as the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. This Bill gives the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco. Although this sounds like a great idea, the issue is this: Philip Morris (Altria) supports the Bill. Once read, it is easy to see why. The Bill allows the FDA to keep smoking alternatives off the market. Although they are limited in that they can’t keep all alternatives off the market, they can pick and choose. Philip Morris also gets a position on an advisory board dealing with the regulation of these products. Although it is a non voting seat, it still allows them to influence which competing products are allowed to be brought to the market.UPDATE May 15th, 2009 – The Waxman Bill has become The Kennedy Tobacco BillUPDATE June 23rd, 2009 – The FDA Tobacco Bill was signed into law by President Obama, but the language in it appears to exclude the electronic cigarette so long as it doesn’t contain a tobacco product.UPDATE January 14th, 2010 – Judge Leon, who is presiding over the Njoy vs FDA case has stated he believes the electronic cigarette should be regulated via the new Tobacco Bill.

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES VS TOBACCO CIGARETTES
The stance that Instead Electronic Cigarettes takes is this: the electronic cigarette is an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. Tobacco cigarettes kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. Compare the ingredients. E-Liquid is made up of propylene glycol, glycerin, water, flavoring, and nicotine. Tobacco smoke contains Ammonia, Acetone, Arsenic, Carbon Monoxide, Cyanide, Formaldehyde, Methane, Nicotine, Tar, Toluene to name some of the bad ones out of the almost 5000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke. There has been testing done on the electronic cigarette with very positive results. People have been using the electronic cigarette since about 2004. There have been no reported cases of ill effects (unless you are allergic to propylene glycol, in which case the vapor will cause irritation). Why is the electronic cigarette being held to higher standards than tobacco cigarettes? And if it is higher standards you want, what are they? We as an industry are happy to comply with reasonable standards. With that said, if we push the e-cigarette through the pharmaceutical route, it may be years before we see it and it will likely get priced the same way that the nicotine gum is…..more expensive than smoking. Why does the FDA insist on making anything with nicotine in it jump through so many hoops? Is nicotine or smoking the problem? Are they trying to keep people smoking tobacco? Seriously.

PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS
So, why are many (not all) of the larger public health organizations against the e-cigarette? For one, misinformation. Many believe the e-cigarette is being marketed to kids. While this may be true of some unscrupulous suppliers, the vast majority of US suppliers do not market or sell to kids and don’t want kids to use this adult product. In fact, we at Instead don’t want non smokers to use it. We just want every smoker in the world to switch to e-cigarettes. That’s it.

Another argument is that companies are marketing the electronic cigarette as a quit smoking product. Again, this is true of some, but not of the vast majority of US suppliers. We at Instead don’t believe this is a quit smoking product. We believe it is an alternative….something else to do. It may or may not be better for you, but it should be the choice of the smoker to decide what is best for him or her. It is sad that public health organizations haven’t taken a more active role in determining the safety of the e-cigarettes and doing a scientific comparison of the vapor vs tobacco smoke. Instead, they have chosen to come out against it with no basis other than “it hasn’t been proven to be safe”. True, but it certainly hasn’t been proven to be unsafe either. We as an industry are moving to provide scientific data about the safety of the e-cigarette. We just need a little time. A little help might speed things up.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
That is the 2 Billion+ dollar question. There are undeniably large forces with a vested interest in this market. As an e-smoker or as someone who cares about the damage caused by tobacco smoke, we need your help. We are a small industry. We are small American businesses. But with a little public support, we have a chance to balance the scales. They may have the money, but we can have the numbers.

2) Contact your local Tobacco Free Kids, American Lung Association, American Cancer Society and other public health organizations to inform them about your experience with the electronic cigarette. Give your money away wisely.

9 Responses to What is Going on with the FDA and the Electronic Cigarette?

[…] classified and don’t actually contain tobacco. The issue here is that there is currently a lawsuit pending against the FDA to determine the classification of the electronic cigarette. Once this is settled, it is likely the electronic cigarette will be included in sellable nicotine […]

I was a 2-pack a day smoker. I am now a two-pack every two weeks smoker. I’ve been on the e-cigarette over two weeks now. It is amazing! Cigarettes have 0ver 5000 chemicals in them, beside nicotine. Ecigarettes contain ONLY nicotine. HELLO, this is not rocket science folks. Come on, there is all kinds of quit-smoking products out there with just nicotine and the e-cigarette is not even marketed to be a quit-smoking device. Only as an alternative to smoking – an alternative which – compared to cigarettes is a much more healthy way to smoke. There is no smoke with the ecigarette – just vapor. The only thing going into your lungs is a harmless nicotine steam. Common sense alone tells you inhaling nicotine steam is better than inhaling over 5000 carcinegins (sp). Also, second-hand smoke is eliminated. I may sound like an ad for ecigarettes but this is the way to go if you are a tobacco smoker. To ban this would be foolish.

I started using the electonic cigarette last week. I was warned off the real things by my doctor as they are an irritant to my ulcer. I am sorry I ever started smoking in the 1st place but I have to say the e-cigarette helps a lot. No more 2nd hand smoke, smelly clothes and hair etc. Not to mention the 5000 chemicals I am not breathing in. My stomach feels better and even my breathing has improved. It is a cynical ploy on the part of corporate Tobacco Firms to try to get these devices banned. I am from Ireland but if I was an American citizen I would be lobbying President Obama on this issue. I think as a smoker himself, he would find this debate very interesting.

I am a former tobacco sales rep and current investor in an American E cigarette company. My motives for involvement were less about generating revenue and more about helping people successfully transition from tobacco smoke (and its’ harm) to vaping. Removing the smoke from the body and lungs is an excellent start.
We make ZERO health claims, however, in my experience, vaping is the best vehicle to rid smoke and carcinogens from ones system by addressing the real “habit” of smoking. Mimicking the entire process of smoking is the single largest(and most successful) factor in the transition from analog to E.
Our particular company continues to gain momentum in the marketplace, and sales are increasing weekly, however, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE DOLLAR OF REVENUE GENERATED. What I have received is the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve assisted folks in reversing (or at least minimizing) the damage smoking has done to their bodies. The facts speak for themselves. Although this product is NOT for everyone, many folks are laying down their tobacco products, feeling better, and trumpeting the benefits of vaping. After nearly 50 years of smoking, my own mother has successfully transitioned from smoking to vaping.
I’ve observed her every day for more than a month, and the positive effects are astounding. She feels better, sleeps better, has no odor in her car or home, and has little craving for a tobacco cigarette.
To be fair, in one months time I’ve witnessed her smoke TWO cigarettes…a far cry from the 20 plus per day she had the habit of.
We realize that legislation will come, and we understand both sides of the argument, however, it seems much more hypocritical on one side of than on the other. We urge our government officials to take a logical approach in their legislation, and to do their best to encourage rational, fact producing scientific study of the electronic cigarette with as little influence from one side or the other as possible. We understand this is a high wire act, but the powerful lobbies behind the outright ban of the e cig have no motives other than financial.
We look forward to future discussion and debate in order to find a logical solution. Thank you.

My husband and I have smoked for many years and sorry to say really enjoyed the taste of tobacco..Over the last few years we have started to have health issues,,he was diagnosed with copd,and I noticed my health going down with high colesterol,very high,,We found out thru a friend about the e-cigg.We purchased 2 last wk.My husband started his the day before I did.Hes going on his 4th day and I on my 3rd,,He doesnt feel the heavinest in his chest and I dont hear him coughing his head off and Im doing good also,,There is still that urge there to smoke but I just pick my ecigg up and Im good to go,,When I walk in one of the rooms Im not smelling that tobacco smoke,,an I dont stink anymore,,an my grandkids are safe around me now,they are now around healthy air instead of second hand smoke and that makes me feel wonderful

I just got my E cigarette yesterday and it is a okay. I have smoked for over 30 years and have always wanted to quit and it was so hard. I quit smoking on Feb. 23rd, of this year and have been off cigarettes now for nearly a month and feel so good. I use nicorette gum and now I have the E cigarette that I can smoke when I drink my coffee in the morning. when I get stressed, instead of going and buying that pack of cigarettes, I calmy reach for my e cigarettes which takes the place of the stinky tobacco. Think that they sould do away with all the tobacco products and only have the e cigarette, look at all the lives that would be saved. FDA needs to approve the e cigarette, but maybe they want the tobacco companys to make all this money they have off of people. Everywho made the E Cigarettes, I want to thank you.